Emdeon, a leading provider of healthcare revenue and payment cycle management and clinical information exchange solutions, has been awarded a contract to define the processes and tools needed to move electronic healthcare transaction standards to a new version. Under the contract, Emdeon will develop and execute an analytical methodology for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to estimate the industry impact of moving to a new version of electronic transaction standards. The recommended process will be submitted prior to the standards development organization proposing adoption by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics.
The purpose of the project is to define the activities when new HIPAA and ACA transaction standards are adopted to avoid the implementation issues that have been associated with revised transaction standards in the recent past. According to CMS, the intent of the project is to greatly reduce the likelihood of technical issues going undetected until after the standards are adopted and to eliminate the negative impacts such technical issues would have on the healthcare industry. Under the terms of the agreement, Emdeon will analyze the functionality, usability, interoperability and business usage of a sample of draft versions of HIPAA standards for the following healthcare transactions: claims, claim status, claim payment/remittance advice, eligibility and referral authorizations, as well as any new standard that HHS may consider for adoption during the term of the project.
"We are pleased to work with HHS on such a high-visibility project and lend our industry experience to help avoid costly implementation interruptions that could potentially save the healthcare industry millions of dollars," said Debbi Meisner, vice president of regulatory strategy for Emdeon. "As the single largest clinical, financial and administrative health information exchange in the U.S. healthcare system, Emdeon's extensive experience will enable us to identify and correct potential technical issues during all phases of the transition to a new version of the transaction standards."
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Emdeon Awarded Health and Human Services Contract to Define Process for Electronic Healthcare Transaction Standards
An Industry Pro Advises: Outsource Patient Statements
Insights from a Long-time Emdeon ExpressBill Customer
“There’s no way you can compete with the quality and cost of a resource like this.”
That’s what Larry Mlynarcik has to say about Emdeon ExpressBill Services versus in-house management of patient statements.
And Mlynarcik should know. With 15+ years of experience with the Emdeon ExpressBill Services as well as 38 years as a medical billing expert, he has firsthand knowledge about what it takes to get patient statements mailed and revenue collected effectively and efficiently. Mlynarcik is President and Owner of Custom Data Services, Inc. (CDS), a company specializing in the management of medical billing for providers in all facets of patient care.
CDS sends 50 to 60 thousand patient statements each month on behalf of physician’s practices, hospitals and specialists, and in years past, before the rise of online delivery and payments, the company sent between 80 and 100 thousand statements monthly. Prior to discovering the turnkey automation of ExpressBill, Mlynarcik and his team handled all that mailing in-house, including the purchase and maintenance of massive equipment and supplies. The system was burdensome, time-consuming, labor intensive and expensive. In Mlynarcik’s words, “the associated costs were nuts.”
“So much spent on equipment and labor…,” he recalls.
Mlynarcik made the switch to the outsourced services of ExpressBill back in the mid-1990s and has never looked back at the old system or away from the solution that changed how he does business. The savings with ExpressBill was immediate and significant, assurance out of the gate that outsourcing was the right decision and the only way to go long term.
“I could not do this internally at the same costs. It eliminates the need for equipment, labor, paper costs…and processing time is shorter.”
After more than 15 years, Mlynarcik continues to be pleased with the advantages of Emdeon’s ExpressBill Services. He says that the service that wowed him more than a decade ago has only improved, incorporating technological advancements, new features such as the National Change of Address verification (NCOALink) and digital printing and improved statement design. And he’s so convinced, he has some clear advice for any organization still relying on its own devices for statement printing and mailing: “It’s foolish to do this in-house. If you’re doing it manually, you need to change.”
Based on Mlynarcik’s experience at CDS, here are three reasons you should heed his words and leave the statements to Emdeon.
1. Substantial cost savings.
Cutting the cost of equipment, supplies, maintenance and labor is bound to improve your bottom line dramatically. Over time, the savings served CDS very well, as the company didn’t have to staff for this kind of labor any more or allocate office space to house massive equipment and supplies. To this day, the efficiencies of outsourcing help CDS contain its costs while still serving clients seamlessly.
2. Improved collections.
Improved collections will come from a more effective, timely statement approach, and the dollar figures become even more compelling. By letting Emdeon, experts in statement creation and dissemination, hold the reins, you benefit from Emdeon’s resources and focused knowledge and know-how. Our solutions are designed to help you create more effective statements, help find the latest mailing addresses for recipients, send all mail promptly and trace updated address for returned mail if possible. All this is essential to collect payment from patients.
3. Improved customer satisfaction.
For CDS, clients are providers’ offices, so every statement sent is a representation of both CDS and those who’ve entrusted their billing to the company. Mlynarcik says that Emdeon always “shows us to be a professional company,” and he has the happy clients to prove it. Likewise, patients appreciate prompt, clear, well-designed statements received at proper addresses; it makes the collections process more simple for them and you. As the healthcare industry faces more and more patient payment responsibility, it’s essential that providers hone the methods by which they communicate and collect.
Mlynarcik concludes, “Explore what Emdeon can do if you’re experiencing customer service, technology or quality problems. They compete well in market with their pricing levels and will help you get started cost-effectively.”
Take an expert’s advice. Go hands-off with your statement processing. Contact Emdeon today to learn more about Emdeon ExpressBill Services.
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Three Indicators Your Patient Billing Portal Needs a Makeover
...And What You Can Do About It Today!
Technology within your organization’s business operations is only helpful if it simplifies processes for you, your staff and your patients. For example, our industry is rapidly adopting patient billing portals as a more convenient, easy option for transmitting payments and keeping patients apprised of the status of their accounts. It makes sense that web-based payments and account access is a useful technology for the business of healthcare; it’s a win-win for providers and patients alike.
Or is it?
When online patient payment technology is working like it should, there’s often no question of its helpfulness to an organization. But some providers’ patient billing portals aren’t living up to their fullest potential, leaving something to be desired when it comes to process simplification.
So how’s your solution performing for you and your patients? Here are three key indicators to help you determine if your patient billing portal—or your processes for using it—are in need of some changes.
1. It’s not being used
Many providers report that their patient billing portals received almost immediate use by patients, even without campaigns to promote their availability, because people today are so accustomed to online account management and making web-based payments. If your patients aren’t adopting your billing portal or aren’t coming back to use it after a first login, there’s likely a barrier (or two or three) in their way.
Look at your portal from a user’s point of view. Is it easily accessible through the home page of your main website? Does it carry the same branding and visual elements found on all other patient communications? Does it appear secure and offer statements assuring privacy and security? Is the login process intuitive and is it a breeze to retrieve forgotten login credentials? Is the graphical interface well designed and easy to use? If the answer is no to any of these questions, it’s time to consider changes...and fast.
2. Accounts are not updated automatically.
Perhaps the most important advantage of online payment portals is real-time account updates. This is beneficial for provider and patient, as both can access accounts 24/7 for current status information. If your portal is not immediately reflecting updates, it’s time to review your solution.
Are you required to send your solution provider post-payment information so that accounts may be updated? Again, technology is most helpful when it simplifies processes; if you’re required to take even one extra step to complete what should be an automatic, closed-loop transmittal, it’s time to review your solution.
3. It’s not user-friendly on smart phones or tablets.
Mobile accessibility is essential for any business in today’s marketplace—including healthcare. In the fourth quarter of 2012, smart phone shipments rose 36% to 219 million, and the tablet market grew 75.3% over the same period the previous year. In other words, it’s likely that your patients are using mobile devices to keep track of their accounts with your organization.
It’s imperative that your portal offer mobile detection so that it configures to fit the screen on which it’s being seen. If your portal’s interface is clunky, awkward and not suited for mobile’s touch screen interactions, you will miss countless opportunities to collect and deepen the satisfaction of those you’re seeking to serve, while also training portal users not to return to the site because it lacks functionality.
The best way to avoid these shortcomings in your patient billing portal is to partner with a company that has the technical expertise, healthcare-specific knowledge and implementation know-how to do it right. Emdeon Patient Pay Online is a tool designed with both provider and patient in mind.
Emdeon ensures that Emdeon Patient Pay Online integrates seamlessly with providers’ websites; from consistent branding to superior system interoperability, this solution hits all the marks. It’s patient friendly, effectively assures users of security and privacy, guiding them to make payments and track account status and helping them feel empowered regarding what they owe.
Importantly, Emdeon is well-versed in system integration so that accounts reflect updates as immediately as possible. Emdeon’s solution works with most major hospital software to aid in conveyance of the most current collections information across organizations’ platforms. Emdeon Patient Pay Online not only helps providers collect more revenue promptly, but it also helps them manage the revenue cycle, as well.
We’d be happy to help you audit your current solution to determine what’s best for you and your patients. Contact us today to learn more about Emdeon Patient Pay Online!
Article References:
Smartphone sales surged in fourth quarter, led by Samsung
Tablet Shipments Soar to Record Levels During Strong Holiday Quarter, According to IDC
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Leverage Check Reader Devices to Save Time and Improve Accuracy
Have you ever been in line at the grocery store, pleased with how well things are moving along, until the person ahead of you of pulled out their checkbook to pay? During moments like this, you can almost hear the sound effect of brakes screeching as you watch every stroke of the pen. Who still pays by check anymore?
Those of us in the business of healthcare are likely less incredulous when someone brings a checkbook to pay at the Point-of-Service (POS). While credit and debit cards are becoming more common forms of payment, some patients still rely heavily on writing checks when paying for medical services. Because check-loyal patients can represent a notable share of your total patient population, providers are wise to accommodate checks in order to quickly capture these payments and reduce their risk of processing errors resulting from manual entry mistakes.
Check Reader Devices: Smart Solutions
While these payments start as checks, your workflow doesn’t have to remain paper-based. Check reader devices are scanning tools that quickly and easily convert physical checks into Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions. Rather than using manual entry to record bank routing, account and serial numbers, POS staffers run checks through reader devices, allowing the pertinent data to be captured immediately and accurately. These devices connect to most POS terminals to seamlessly transfer data for more expedient payment processing and are compliant with National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) standards.
Devices such as the MagTek® MICRSafe (shown above) offer flexible payment processing options to accommodate check, credit and debit card payment processing all in one unit.
Emdeon eCashiering: Ready for Your Reader, Reducing Returns
If you’re already using Emdeon eCashiering, you’re likely just a few short steps away from seamlessly integrating a check reader device into your POS payment acceptance process. Emdeon eCashiering is engineered for check reader device integration and can be up and running quickly.
Once the check reader device is activated, Emdeon eCashiering becomes a powerful tool for reducing check returns. Of the approximately three percent of checks that typically cannot be processed, around one percent of those are due to insufficient funds, while the remaining two percent are halted because of invalid account or routing numbers or account closures. For those rogue two percent of checks, powered by an automated reader, Emdeon eCashiering is able to capture accurate information automatically, which reduces your risk of rejections .
Gaining an integrated view of all patient payment activity is another advantage of using Emdeon eCashiering in conjunction with check reader devices. When check payments are converted to ACH transactions, the details are captured for helpful tracking of patient payments and real-time, transaction-level reporting. The speed, accuracy and efficient processing are win-wins for providers and patients alike.
Don’t Let Checks Put On the Brakes: Accelerate Payments Today
Patients paying by check don’t have to put the brakes on your staff’s efficiency or cash flow. POS check reader devices coupled with the robust, integrated capabilities of Emdeon eCashiering can transform paper checks into nimble, ACH payments that transact in real-time. Contact 877.EMDEON.6 (877.363.3666) for more information.
1 Based on an analysis of POS healthcare transactions processed by Emdeon.
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Patient Statements: When Less Really is More
“If I receive medical care from one health system, why do I get multiple billing statements?”
It’s a common question and one with lots of merit. In this era of increased healthcare consumerism, patients are looking for simplicity and clarity regarding payment of their medical services. They want to see statements with concise recaps of care and easy-to-read “amount due” totals. Yet all too often, patients who have encounters within a single healthcare organization receive multiple billing statements in the mail. Separate bills for a variety of services such as emergency room charges, outpatient, inpatient and lab fees come due in fractured pieces and parts based on how the healthcare organization’s billing systems are structured, not on what makes sense for those who must pay the bills.
When patients receive multiple statements, the results can be negative for all parties involved. It’s not unusual for recipients to presume multiple statements are redundant, leading them to disregard new bills that need attention. In some instances, patients arbitrarily pick and choose what statements to pay, since they’re unsure how to prioritize the various bills. The confusion for patients means providers may not receive payments promptly or in full, slowing provider organizations’ cash flows while costing them more time, labor and resources to collect.
Responsively, our industry is experiencing a ground swell of interest in enterprise statements (also known as consolidated statements) that include all of the charges generated within a health system presented in one concise statement. Consolidated statements are logical and patient-focused solutions, yet they’re not necessarily simple to generate. Organizations often operate with disparate billing systems from department to department and facility to facility which makes it hard to track patients throughout every point of care. Nonetheless, it’s imperative that healthcare systems find ways to answer patients’ billing needs rather than defaulting to past procedures just because they’re easier to accomplish. Especially in this age of healthcare consumerism where patients are responsible for paying for more of their care, unified billing statements are increasingly important.
Enter Emdeon ExpressBill Services
With advanced printing and electronic mapping capabilities, Emdeon can work with you to create consolidated statements. In addition, the level of charge consolidation can be customized to fit your organization’s preferences.
Emdeon is equipped with the advanced systems to help you deliver simplified patient communications. And when patients can read, understand and respond to their statements, they are more likely to pay, alleviating your staff of customer service calls and extended collections efforts.
Ready to offer your patients all-in-one statements? Contact 877.EMDEON.6 (877.363.3666) to discover more about the consolidated statement capabilities though Emdeon ExpressBill Services.
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Did You Know?
Quick Facts to Help You Get the Most from Your Emdeon Patient Billing & Payment Solutions
Technology can be a powerful tool to boost productivity and profitability. But, if you aren’t making the most of the solutions available at your fingertips, you might be missing opportunities to improve efficiencies within your organization. That’s why we want to provide a few reminders about the capabilities offered by Emdeon Patient Connect solutions.
Did you know that…
1. System administrators at your facility can reset user passwords in Emdeon eCashiering.
Anyone designated with administrative rights for Emdeon eCashiering at your organization can reset passwords directly from the dashboard. The password reset option is accessed under the “User Administration” tab which means no phone call to customer service is required! As you likely know, it’s challenging to keep up with passwords; the ability to change them autonomously saves time and makes your work life a little more simple.
2. Patient receipts can now be branded messaging tools.
You can add your provider organization’s logo and 200 characters of messaging to patient receipts generated by Emdeon eCashiering and Emdeon Patient Pay Online. The inclusion of your logo is one more way to establish branding, and those 200 characters can convey quick reminders or helpful tips that bring more value to patients in this subtle, quick-read format.
3. We have recurring payment options.
Emdeon Patient Pay Online and eCashiering offer optional recurring payment functionality for patients. Recurring payments are extremely effective in improving cash flow for your organization while also simplifying patients’ billing experiences in tandem. With more and more patients bearing direct responsibility for payment of their care, you’ll find the ability to set up recurring payments extremely beneficial. To learn more and get set up, simply contact our customer service team.
4. Emdeon can customize the design of your statements for improved response.
We have a design team on the ready to create statements that blend your branding, key messages, layout, use of color and, perhaps most importantly, HFMA Patient Friendly Billing® standards. Why are custom statements better? Communication is visual, not just textual. By strategically ordering content and using call-out boxes and colors, you can help patients better read, follow and know how to respond to their statements. Our design team is adept in statement design that puts the spotlight on action-oriented information such as “amount due.” Because recipients are ceaselessly inundated with messaging, it’s important that your statements be laid out attractively and colorfully to stand out, get noticed and merit response from patients. To implement, there may be a small programming fee; connect with your account manager for details.
Have any questions regarding any of our products or services? Don’t hesitant to call us at 877.EMDEON.6 (877.366.3333) for more information.
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Creating an Accurate and Early View of Patient Financial Status
An HFMA Roundtable
Communicating with scheduled patients about their financial responsibility prior to arrival for services is an important strategy for receiving prompt and full payment while supporting a positive patient experience. In this roundtable, several revenue cycle leaders discuss ways their organizations are using process change and technology to improve the quality, timing, and accuracy of these discussions.
Click to view full report.
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Meet Jeff Kerley, CPA – Emdeon Senior Vice President Corporate Controller and Administrative Services
Supporting Emdeon’s Mission to Simplify the Business of Healthcare
Jeff Kerley, Emdeon’s Senior Vice President Corporate Controller and Administrative Services, has vast responsibilities over many areas within our company. He leads a team of 78 professionals to manage Emdeon’s financial and back office operations, as well as purchasing, real estate, security and business continuity.
His attempt to specifically describe what he does in the course of a typical work day epitomizes the term “all over the board.” However, get to know him and his work a little more closely, and a common theme arises that unifies all that authority and activity: relationship building.
Sure, “relationship building” isn’t the core skill you might expect for the Controller of a multi-tiered, billion dollar company. However, the ability to connect with internal and external customers and get to know them is precisely how Kerley succeeds in his role. The insights he gains through relationship building empowers him to make the most informed financial and administrative decisions for Emdeon and, thus, for our customers.
Anytime our company expands through acquisition, Kerley is a key leader in the integration efforts, blending newly acquired business units into the fabric of the Emdeon corporate structure. He builds relationships not only with top executives but whole leadership teams to guide the potentially precarious process of merging. It stands to reason he’s also become a trusted go-to for those business units to stay informed and connected to the home office.
“Up-front I spend a lot of time...them getting to know me, me getting to know them...so we build a good rapport from the beginning,” he explains.
When your organization was considering becoming a customer of Emdeon, it’s highly likely that Kerley played a role in how we responded, reviewing our RFP response or perhaps approving the contract before it was released for approval. Though you may never interact with him directly, he’s influenced many of the innovative solutions you use each day.
He also plays a part in many behind the curtain scenarios in which Emdeon forges unique, customized solutions based on specific customers’ needs.
“We step up for our customers…to be a great business partner. We help in ways that other companies simply would not,” states Kerley. “That’s what it takes to build relationships that stick.”
Kerley’s relationships also include professional connections beyond our company and customer base. He’s constantly in tune with financial news and Emdeon business leaders, staying on top of trends and market concerns. This is how he knows that tax codes, Medicare reimbursements and the ever-shifting political climate are some of the resounding issues that business leaders face today.
In translating the concerns of the market into the solutions that Emdeon offers, Kerley is clear and certain that an effective route to financial health for a hospital or health system is to file claims correctly from the start.
“Think of the claim and cash as one in the same,” he advises. “Filing claims correctly the first time can prevent them from getting kicked back which affects cash flow timing. The cleaner a claim is submitted, the faster the provider can expect reimbursement. That’s where our industry leading solutions come into play,” Kerley says.
Prior to joining Emdeon eight years ago, Kerley served as Divisional Controller for Cardinal Health. His tenure there was an excellent training ground for his work at Emdeon, as he dealt with the same customers faced with some of these same challenges. The experiences and the relationships translate.
“No matter what, relationships matter,” Kerley summarizes. “We work smarter when there’s trust and a business partnership...when we’re in it together.”
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